Venus unveiled

THE DIRECTOR TALKS ABOUT HER NEW FILM AND SELF EXPRESSION

THE closing night film of this year’s London Indian Film Festival is Ca­nadian comedy-drama Venus, which is about alternative family values, self-empowerment and love.

Eisha Marjara has written and di­rected the entertaining film about a Montreal Punjabi named Sid who, after years of struggling with gender iden­tity, comes out as a woman and then discovers a 14-year-old son from a teenage affair with a woman.

I caught up with Eisha to talk about filmmaking, Venus and more.

What would you say was your first connection to filmmaking?

As a kid on my summer trips to India, I would play on my grandmother’s rooftop and force my cousins to per­form scenes before an imaginary au­dience in ridiculous and sometimes grotesque costumes. They have for­given me since. I just loved the world of make believe. Flash-forward to high school in Quebec where I got into di­recting school plays. I loved the spot­light, glamour and art of storytelling.

What about films?

I didn’t get excited about filmmaking until college, when I took a film pro­duction course and my teacher saw talent and encouraged me to pursue directing. And later still, when I stud­ied professional photography, a well-known Canadian director saw my portfolio and said I had an eye for cinema. That confirmed that film­making was where I belonged.

How did your film Venus end up be­ing picked to close this year’s Lon­don Indian Film Festival?

My producer Joe Balass got in touch with the programmer of the festival, Cary Sawhney, who saw the film and loved it. He invited Venus to close the festival. We were keen on having the film play in London, the home town of one of our favourite cast members Gordon Warnecke, who plays the lead’s father.

Tell us about the film?

Venus is a dramatic comedy about an Indo-Canadian transgender woman who discovers that she has a teenage son. The film tracks their relationship as they navigate the complicated and at times strange ironies of blended family and past lovers.

What was the biggest challenge of making the movie?

There were several challenges. One was raising the financing to make the film we wanted to make. Money af­fords time and creative freedom, which is what all directors and film­making teams strive for.

Another for me as the writer/direc­tor was getting the script tight and ready to shoot. I chiselled away at it to get it down to what’s on the screen.

Casting was also a major challenge. It took us a year and-a-half to find our lead, New York-based Debargo Sanyal, who nailed the role.

Which is your favourite moment in the movie?

My favourite moment in the film is when Ralph encourages Sid, his new­ly come out dad-turned-mom, to dance in the park with a bunch of strangers. The moment when Sid and Ralph let their guard down is an ex­perience of pure joy, ecstasy and free­dom. It’s a brief scene that encapsu­lates the entire premise of the film – the transformative power of love, and unguarded authentic self-expression.

How much are you looking forward to Venus being shown at the festival?

Very much. Every screening brings feelings of excitement, trepidation and curiosity. I love to witness the audience experience the film for the first time. I never know how the film will be received, but generally the re­action has been consistent, regardless of audience demographics.

That said, the London Indian Film Festival screening is special in par­ticular because it’s the closing film, a UK premiere, and presented in the hometown of our beloved Gordon.

What kind of movies do you person­ally enjoy watching?

I enjoy films with fiery and outrageous characters who rub against the norm. Queens, vamps and divas. Queer films, feminist films, that make me laugh and cry, and sometimes at once. Thelma and Louise, To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, Ma Vie en Rose, C.R.A.Z.Y., Heavenly Creatures. My latest absolute favour­ite is sassy, brassy and touching Patti Cake$ about a young female rapper trying to break out of externally and internally imposed limitations. It’s a brilliant mother-daughter story about passion and resilience.

According to you, what makes for a great movie?

A compelling story, complex charac­ters and timely yet timeless themes with a unique vision. It can be a sim­ple story that contains complex char­acters and themes. What separates a good movie from a great one is the ability of the filmmaker to express a universal and timeless story with a new and unique vision that keeps people talking for weeks, if not years.

What can we expect next from you?

I am working on a feature drama with Joe Balass, the producer of Venus, called Calorie, about a family of strong-willed women who are com­ing to terms with a family tragedy. At the centre is an Indo-Canadian single mom of two unmanageable teens, whose own immigrant mother was killed in the tragic bombing of Air In­dia flight 182 off the coast of Ireland in 1985. It’s a mother-daughter story with political intrigue.

Finally, why do you love cinema?

Outside of literature, cinema is the most engaging, immersive and emo­tive form of storytelling there is. It is an experience that introduces such diverse art forms, which serve to tell a story, any kind of story, on any sub­ject possible. It’s a dream.

• Venus is the closing night movie of the 2018 London Indian Film Festival at BFI, Southbank, in the capital on June 29. Visit www.londonindianfilm festival.co.uk for more.